Korean authorities have caught 12 companies using AI-generated "fake doctors" and other deceptive tactics to illegally advertise food products, generating sales of approximately 8.4 billion won ($5.9 million).
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) announced Wednesday that it has requested administrative action and criminal investigation against 16 food retailers for violating the Food Labeling and Advertising Act following an inspection of online food advertisements. The ministry has also asked the Korea Communications Standards Commission to block access to the offending posts.
The inspection, conducted from October 28 to December 12, examined posts on online shopping malls and social media platforms that contained illegal food advertisements. Twelve companies were found to have used AI-generated expert videos and other deceptive methods to sell approximately 8.4 billion won worth of food products.
The violations included five companies advertising products as if they could prevent or treat diseases, using claims such as "complete cure for cystitis" and "recovery from enlarged prostate possible." Three companies advertised ordinary food products as if they were pharmaceuticals or health functional foods, using phrases like "same mechanism of action as Wegovy" and "melts inflammatory fat first." Four companies made false or exaggerated claims such as "enhances cellular self-repair ability" and "clears up skin."
An additional four companies were caught selling approximately 3 billion won worth of food products by mimicking pharmaceutical names. Violations included using the term "GLP-1 stimulation" for a product with a name similar to the obesity drug Wegovy, advertising a product resembling ADHD medication Concerta with claims of "increased focus" and "brain activation," and marketing a product with a name similar to acne medication Isotinon using the phrase "for acne."
"The products caught in this crackdown are ordinary foods that have not been approved as pharmaceuticals or health functional foods, so consumers cannot expect the advertised effects," the MFDS said. "We urge consumers not to be deceived by such illegal advertisements."
